Podcast Advertising

An open letter to all the brand managers who don’t “get” podcasting.

I’ve got one word for you……Relevance.

Ads that stay relevant and in tune with the content of the podcast will be received better by your audience. When ad content is closely aligned with the actual content of the medium, the consumer’s perspective on the ad alters dramatically. The topic of the ad does not force the mind of the consumer to abruptly adjust to the intrusion of a completely different topic. It is not a jarring experience and the “defense walls” we have all built up after being forced fed zillions of meaningless commercials do not kick in for our mental protection. In fact, an advertisement that somehow appeals to the senses (sounds/sights) directly to the podcast may enhance the listening/viewing experience.

 Example: Let’s say your ad campaign is related to camping equipment. You’ve identified an audio podcast that is downloaded in significant number by people who frequently hike, travel and go camping. You have several options:

 Pre-Roll

Mid-Roll

Post-Roll

You’ve chosen a mid-roll advertisement that runs at the five minute mark of a ten minute show. Is your ad a loud, intrusive 30 second spot crudely “reconfigured” to plop into the middle a podcast? Hell no! You have created a mellow, soothing ten second brand blurb that’s surrounded by chirping birds and the magical sounds of the great outdoors. During a pause in the show the audience begins to hear birds chirping and the sound of a slight breeze rustling through the leaves of hundreds of trees in a forest.  A voice over calmly says, “The wild awaits you. XYZ Camping equipment.” Then the forest sounds again to a fade out and back into the next segment of the show. This is almost less a commercial and more of a transition tool for the podcaster. Everyon’e happy.

 The podcaster gets paid by including an unobtrusive transiton to use in his podcast that is actually an ad!

You get placement in a spot where you’re essentially guaranteed listnership with no ad skipping.

The audience gets a momentary mental excursion into the wilderness with a simple unoffensive branding message that’s relevant to their immediate interests.

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